Dengue figure increases

THE number of confirmed dengue fever cases continues to rise despite the launch of the dengue clean-up campaign last week.

The latest statistics from the Ministry of Health show that there are 1039 cases recorded from October 30, 2013, to January 16.

893 of these positive dengue cases are from the Central Division, 101 from the Western Division and 45 from the North.

"The clean-up campaign in the Central Division has been initiated to remove and destroy dengue mosquito breeding places, Ministry of Health spokeswoman Evlyn Mani said yesterday.

Apart from this awareness, work in combatting dengue has been continuing.

She also reminded the public to remove any artificial container that collects stagnant water as this was a prime breeding area for mosquitoes.

Suva City Council acting CEO Bhijay Chand confirmed that clean-up works in the Central Division was progressing well.

"The clean-up campaign is going very well," Mr Chand said.

"Notices have also been sent to owners of vacant lots to clear overgrown grass from their land in an attempt to ensure all sites are kept clean, we'll be finishing off this clean-up by tomorrow," Mr Chand said.

Meanwhile, the new Anti-Dengue Clean-Up campaign, has received the full support of the Methodist Church.

The church says it's right behind the Ministry of Health, Local Government and faith-based organisations' combined anti-dengue campaign.

In a recent radio interview, church official Reverend Iliesa Naivalu urged the church's divisional superintendents, circuit ministers and all members of the church in the Central Division to join the campaign.

"I am very concerned at the current number of more than 700 cases of dengue fever in the Central Division," Mr Naivalu said.

"I believe most of these are our members. We have over 63,000 members of the church in the Central Division and we all need to play our part."

Mr Naivalu said he'd witnessed a big number of sick people visiting health centres around Suva, some of whom were informed by doctors they had dengue-related symptoms.

Since Wednesday, department heads and their families have taken up cleaning and destroying mosquito breeding places in their compounds.

Mr Naivalu reiterated that all churches, families, men's, women's and youth fellowship groups and children should co-ordinate their efforts in cleaning their compounds as well as surrounding areas.